Pages

March 14, 2014

William Penn's Treaty Expressed in Art and Textiles (Part 3)

Our last two posts dealt with images of Benjamin West's painting titled "Penn's Treaty with the Indians" and some manufactured, figurative textiles based on John Hall's engraving of the painting. This time, we want to introduce you to a remarkable Quaker quilt that contains a block depicting a pen-drawn portrayal of the same subject.

Savery Friendship Star Quilt. A holding of the American Folk Art Museum,

New York. Photograph courtesy of the American Folk Art Museum.

This quilt measures 80" X 83 1/4", is dated 1844, and was made in Philadelphia by Elizabeth Hooten (Cresson) Savery and others. The quilt was pieced using the English template method. Three of the stars were set differently than the others, with two points of the star pointing upward rather than one. (See the top row fourth and sixth star, and the bottom row far right star.) The fabrics are cotton and linen.

Fifty different names appear on the quilt, inscribed in either printed or cursive letters. Most of those whose names appear have been traced to central Philadelphia and Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is believed that no more than three or four hands were responsible for the inscriptions. Each of the names is accompanied by either stamped or hand-drawn garlands or vines.

Twenty-seven of the blocks also bear pen-and-ink depictions, including a detailed rendering of a portion of "Penn's Treaty with the Indians".

Detail of block from the Savery Friendship Star Quilt depicting the Penn's Treaty

motif. Photograph courtesy of the American Folk Art Museum, New York.

Realistic pen-and-ink drawn motifs appeared frequently on Quaker and other quilts during the early and middle 19th century and seem to have been extremely popular in the 1840s based on the number of quilts of that period from the mid-Atlantic region that display such drawings. According to Sandi Fox, this attribute was seen less often by the last quarter of the century.

The art of penmanship, and the ability to write clearly and cleanly on fabric, were skills taught to young women in most upper-class and Quaker schools in the early to mid-1800s. These skills were used to inscribe friendship quilts and for marking domestic linens, but not all students became proficient at inscribing with ink on fabric. Many are the quilts inscribed, not by the person whose name appears on a block, but by a single hand for all names--a hand trained and expert in the talent of inscribing fabric with pen and ink. Try it with a fountain pen. It isn't easy!

In the case of the Penn's Treaty block, the person who inscribed it not only had a talent for inscribing fabric with pen and ink but also possessed artistic ability that may or may not have been gained through schooling.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Ann Hanna Hambleton

Ann was the mother-in-law of Philena Cooper Hambleton, the subject of Philena's Friendship Quilt: A Quaker Farewell to Ohio, and the great-aunt of Senator Marcus Hanna of Ohio.

American Quilt Study Group

Do you know about the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG)? If not, you should. The purpose of this non-profit organization is to establish, sustain, and promote the highest standards for quilt related studies, to encourage these studies, and to provide opportunities to disseminate the work of both academic and non-academic researchers. Membership in the AQSG entitles one to receive Uncoverings, an annual journal of the research papers presented at AQSG's yearly Seminar, and a quarterly publication titled Blanket Statements containing research papers, notes and queries, as well as AQSG and quilt world news. In addition, an annual directory is provided that lists the names, contact information, and interests of current AQSG members--a valuable networking resource that gives access to approximately 950 fellow quilt enthusiasts. Click on the quilt block above to visit AQSG's web site and learn how to become a member. The site also provides information about the organization's annual Seminar, its publication opportunities, its Quilt Study program, and the Technical Guides and other publications available to members and the general public. AQSG is also on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Quilt-Study-Group/149056808116.

Quaker Quilts: Snapshots from an Exhibition

This pamphlet by Mary Holton Robare contains photographic and informational snapshots of quilts that were displayed in a three-day exhibit of Quaker Quilts held at Abram's Delight Museum in Winchester, Virginia, in 2014. The exhibit featured twenty-six quilts made between ca. 1840 and 2007. Click on the image to learn more about it.

Quilts and Quaker Heritage

Mary Holton Robare's book on selected quilts from an exhibition at the Virginia Quilt Museum in 2008. Click on the book to order and search by title.

Philena's Friendship Quilt: A Quaker Farewell to Ohio

In this 4th publication of the Ohio Quilt Series published by Ohio University Press, Lynda Salter Chenoweth presents the story of Philena Cooper Hambleton and the quilt made for her in Ohio in 1853 to take with her when she migrated to Iowa. To order, click on the book and then search by title.

Neighbors and Friends: Quakers in Community

Lynda Salter Chenoweth's second book based on her research into Philena's quilt tells the stories of those whose names appear on the quilt and places their lives in context. To order, click on the book and then search by title.

When This You See Remember Me

Also of interest by Mary Holton Robare. Schoolgirl Samplers of Winchester and Frederick County, Virginia. To order, click on the book, click "Store", then "Softcover Books" and search on title.

Followers

Copyright

(c) 2011-2017 Lynda Salter Chenoweth and Mary Holton Robare. Absolutely no reproduction or distribution permitted beyond one copy for personal study. For additional permissions regarding text please e-mail lchen@saber.net. All images are reproduced with permission of copyright holders. Any commercial or online use is strictly forbidden.

Lynda Salter Chenoweth

Mary Holton Robare

About Us

Lynda and Mary are quilt historians experienced in researching and publishing information about quilts made by members of the Religious Society of Friends. Their particular interest is in 19th century inscribed quilts that document Quaker families and their communities.
Lynda lives in Sonoma,California, and is a writer, a quilter, a researcher, and a member of the Board of the American Quilt Study Group. Mary lives in Winchester, Virginia, and is a writer, a researcher, and a choreographer and dance instructor.